Substituted 4-amino-2aryl-pyrimidines, their production and use and pharmaceutical preparations containing same

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to compounds of formula I, 
                 
 
in which R 1 , R 2 , R 3  and R 4  have the meanings given in the claims. Said compounds are valuable active ingredients for the treatment and prophylaxis of diseases, for example of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, angina pectoris, heart failure, thrombosis or atherosclerosis. The compounds of the formula I are able to modulate the body&#39;s production of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) and are generally suitable for the treatment and prophylaxis of disorders associated with impaired cGMP balance. The invention furthermore relates to methods for producing compounds of the formula I, their use in the treatment and prophylaxis of the above diseases and in the preparation of medicaments for such diseases, and pharmaceutical preparations containing the compounds of formula I.

This application is a U.S. national stage filing of PCT International Application No. PCT/EP99/05636, filed on Aug. 4, 1999, which claims the benefit of priority to German Patent Application No. 198 36 697.3, filed on Aug. 13, 1998.

The present invention relates to compounds of the formula I,

in which R¹, R², R³ and R⁴ have the meanings indicated below, which are valuable pharmaceutical active compounds for the therapy and prophylaxis of diseases, for example of cardiovascular disorders such as high blood pressure, angina pectoris, cardiac insufficiency, thromboses or atherosclerosis. The compounds of the formula I have the ability to modulate the endogenous production of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) and are generally suitable for the therapy and prophylaxis of disease states which are associated with a disturbed cGMP balance. The invention furthermore relates to processes for the preparation of compounds of the formula I, their use for the therapy and prophylaxis of the designated disease states and for the production of pharmaceuticals therefor, and pharmaceutical preparations which contain compounds of the formula I.

cGMP is an important intracellular messenger, which elicits a number of pharmacological effects by means of the modulation of cGMP-dependent protein kinases, phosphodiesterases and ion channels. Examples are smooth muscle relaxation, the inhibition of platelet activation and the inhibition of smooth muscle cell proliferation and leukocyte adhesion. cGMP is produced by particulate and soluble guanylate cyclases as a response to a number of extracellular and intracellular stimuli. In the case of the particulate guanylate cyclases, the stimulation essentially takes place by means of peptide signal substances, such as the atrial natriuretic peptide or the cerebral natriuretic peptide. The soluble guanylate cyclases (sGC), which are cytosolic, heterodimeric heme proteins, however, are essentially regulated by a family of low molecular weight, enzymatically formed factors. The most important stimulant is nitrogen monoxide (NO) or a closely related species. The importance of other factors such as carbon monoxide or the hydroxyl radical is still largely unclarified. The binding of NO to the heme with formation of a pentacoordinated heme-nitrosyl complex is discussed as an activation mechanism of activation by NO. The release associated therewith of the histidine which is bound to the iron in the basal state converts the enzyme into the activated conformation.

Active soluble guanylate cyclases are each composed of one α- and one β-subunit. Several subtypes of the subunits are described, which differ from one another with respect to sequence, tissue-specific distribution and expression in various stages of development. The subtypes α₁ and β₁ are mainly expressed in the brain and lung, while β₂ is especially found in liver and kidney. The subtype α₂ was detected in human fetal brain. The subunits designated as α₃ and β₃ were isolated from human brain and are homologous to α₁ and β₁. More recent studies point to an α_(2i) subunit, which contains an insert in the catalytic domain. All subunits show great homology in the area of the catalytic domain. The enzymes probably contain one heme per heterodimer, which is bonded via β₁-Cys-78 and/or β₁-His-105 and is part of the regulatory center.

The formation of guanylate cyclase-activating factors can be decreased under pathological conditions or increased degradation thereof can take place as a result of the increased occurrence of free radicals. The decreased activation of the sGC resulting therefrom leads, via the attenuation of the respective cGMP-mediated cell response, for example, to an increase in the blood pressure, to platelet activation or to increased cell proliferation and cell adhesion. As a result, the formation of endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, stable and unstable angina pectoris, thromboses, myocardial infarct, strokes or erectile dysfunction occurs. The pharmacological stimulation of the sGC offers a possibility for the normalization of cGMP production and thus allows the treatment or prevention of illnesses of this type.

For the pharmacological stimulation of sGC, until now compounds were almost exclusively used whose action is based on an intermediate release of NO, for example organic nitrates. The disadvantage of this method of treatment lies in the development of tolerance and weakening of action and the higher dose which therefore becomes necessary.

Various sGC stimulators which do not act via a release of NO were described in a series of publications by Vesely. The compounds, which are mostly hormones, plant hormones, vitamins or, for example, natural substances such as lizard toxins, however, consistently show only weak effects on cGMP formation in cell lysates (D. L. Vesely, Eur. J. Clin. Invest. 15 (1985) 258; D. L. Vesely, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 88 (1979) 1244). Stimulation of heme-free guanylate cyclase by protoporphyrin IX was detected by Ignarro et al. (Adv. Pharmacol. 26 (1994) 35). Pettibone et al. (Eur. J. Pharmacol. 116 (1985) 307) describe a hypotensive action for diphenyliodonium hexafluorophoshate and attributed this to a stimulation of sGC. Isoliquiritiginin, which shows a relaxant action on isolated rat aortas, likewise activates sGC according to Yu et al. (Brit. J. Pharmacol. 114 (1995) 1587). Ko et al. (Blood 84 (1994) 4226), Yu et al. (Biochem. J. 306 (1995) 787) and Wu et al. (Brit. J. Pharmacol. 116 (1995) 1973) detected an sGC stimulating activity of 1-benzyl-3-(5-hydroxymethyl-2-furyl)indazole and demonstrated an antiproliferative and platelet-inhibiting action. Substituted pyrazoles and condensed pyrazoles which have an sGC-stimulating action are described in EP-A-908456 and DE-A-19744027, substituted quinazolines having an action of this type in DE-A-19756388.

Various 4-amino-2-arylpyrimidines are already known. For example, in EP-A-55693 pyrimidines are described which are substituted in the 2-position by a phenyl group and which are suitable as antidotes for the protection of crop plants against the phytotoxic action of herbicides. EP-A-136976 describes 2-phenylpyrimidines which are plant growth regulators. For certain 2-phenylpyrimidines which in the 4-position can carry, inter alia, an amino group as a substituent, EP-A-555478 describes that they improve learning power and memory power.

Surprisingly, it has now been found that the pyrimidines of the formula I according to the invention bring about strong guanylate cyclase activation, on account of which they are suitable for the therapy and prophylaxis of illnesses which are associated with a low cGMP level.

The present invention thus relates to compounds of the formula I

in which

-   R¹ is (C₁-C₈)-alkyl which can be substituted by one or more     identical or different substituents from the group consisting of     hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-S(O)_(m)—, R⁵R⁶N and aryl,     (C₃-C₉)-cycloalkyl which can be substituted by one or more identical     or different substituents from the group consisting of     (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino, or the radical of a 5-membered to     7-membered saturated heterocyclic ring which contains one or two     identical or different hetero ring members from the group consisting     of O, NR⁷ and S(O)_(m) and which can be substituted by one or more     identical or different substituents from the group consisting of     (C₁-C₄)-alkyl and aryl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-; and -   R² is hydrogen, (C₁-C₈)-alkyl which can be substituted by one or     more identical or different substituents from the group consisting     of hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl —S(O)_(m)—, R⁵ R⁶N and     aryl, (C₃-C₉)-cycloalkyl which can be substituted by one or more     identical or different substituents from the group consisting of     (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino, or the radical of a 5-membered to     7-membered saturated heterocyclic ring which contains one or two     identical or different hetero ring members from the group consisting     of O, NR⁷ and S(O)_(m) and which can be substituted by one or more     identical or different substituents from the group consisting of     (C₁-C₄)-alkyl and aryl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-; or -   R¹R²N is a radical, bonded via a ring nitrogen atom, of a 5-membered     to 7-membered saturated heterocyclic ring which, in addition to the     nitrogen atom carrying the radicals R¹ and R², can contain a further     hetero ring member from the group consisting of O, NR⁷ and S(O)_(m)     and which can be substituted by one or more identical or different     substituents from the group consisting of (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl,     (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, R⁸R⁹N, hydroxycarbonyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxycarbonyl and     R⁸R⁹N—CO—; -   R³ is aryl; -   R⁴ is (C₂-C₅)-alkyl, trifluoromethyl or aryl; -   R⁵ and R⁶ are identical or different radicals from the group     consisting of hydrogen and (C₁-C₄)-alkyl or the group R⁵R⁶N is a     radical, bonded via a ring nitrogen atom, of a 5-membered to     7-membered saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic ring which, in     addition to the nitrogen atom carrying the radicals R⁵ and R⁶, can     additionally contain as a further hetero ring member an oxygen atom,     a group S(O)_(m) or a nitrogen atom and which can carry on ring     carbon atoms one or more identical or different substituents from     the group consisting of (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino and can     carry on a ring nitrogen atom a radical R⁷; -   R⁷ is hydrogen, (C₁-C₄)alkyl, aryl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-,     hydroxy-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-, hydroxycarbonyl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-,     ((C₁-C₄)-alkoxycarbonyl)-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-, R⁸R⁹N—CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-,     R¹⁰—SO₂— or aryl, where R⁷, if this group is present on a piperazino     radical representing R¹R²N, cannot be carbocyclic aryl or     carbocyclic aryl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl; -   R⁸ and R⁹ are identical or different radicals from the group     consisting of hydrogen and (C₁-C₄)-alkyl; -   R¹⁰ is (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, aryl or R⁸R⁹N; -   aryl is phenyl, naphthyl or heteroaryl, which can all be substituted     by one or more identical or different substituents from the group     consisting of halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, phenyl, CF₃, NO₂, OH,     —O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —O—(C₂-C₄)-alkyl-O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl,     (C₁-C₂)-alkylenedioxy, NH₂, —NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)₂,     —NH—CHO, —NH—CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CN, —CO—NH₂, —CO—NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl,     —CO—N((C₁—C₄)-alkyl)₂, —CO—OH, —CO—O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CHO and     —CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl; -   heteroaryl is the radical of a monocyclic 5-membered or 6-membered     aromatic heterocycle or of a bicyclic 8-membered to 10-membered     aromatic heterocycle, each of which contain one or more identical or     different ring heteroatoms from the group consisting of N, O and S; -   m is 0, 1 or 2; -   in all their stereoisomeric forms and mixtures thereof in all     ratios, and their physiologically tolerable salts, -   compounds of the formula I being excluded in which, simultaneously,     R⁴ is tert-butyl or trifluoromethyl, R³ is phenyl which can be     substituted by one or two identical or different substituents from     the group consisting of halogen, OH, —O—R¹¹ and CF₃, R¹R²N is     R¹¹—NH—, (R¹¹)₂N— or R¹²R¹³N—(CH₂)_(p)—NH—, p is 2 or 3, R¹¹ is     saturated unsubstituted (C₁-C₄)-alkyl and R¹² and R¹³ are identical     or different radicals from the group consisting of hydrogen and R¹¹     or the group R¹²R¹³N is a radical, bonded via a ring nitrogen atom,     of a 5-membered or 6-membered saturated heterocyclic ring which, in     addition to the nitrogen atom carrying the radicals R¹² and R¹³, can     additionally contain as a further hetero ring member an oxygen atom,     a sulfur atom or a nitrogen atom and which can be substituted by an     aryl radical or by an aryl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl radical, where the aryl     group can be substituted by one or two identical or different     substituents from the group consisting of halogen, OH, —O—R¹¹ and     CF₃.

If groups or substituents can occur a number of times in the compounds of the formula I, they can all independently of one another have the indicated meanings and can each be identical or different.

Alkyl radicals can be straight-chain or branched. This also applies if they are contained in other groups, for example in alkoxy groups, alkoxycarbonyl groups or in amino groups, or if they are substituted.

Examples of alkyl groups are methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, the n-isomers of these radicals, isopropyl, isobutyl, isopentyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, neopentyl, 3,3-dimethylbutyl. The term alkyl here is expressly also understood as meaning, in addition to saturated alkyl radicals, unsaturated alkyl radicals, i.e. alkyl radicals which contain one or more double bonds and/or one or more triple bonds, for example alkenyl radicals and alkynyl radicals. It will be appreciated that an unsaturated alkyl radical has to contain at least two carbon atoms, a (C₁-C₈)-alkyl group thus for example comprehending saturated (C₁-C₈)-alkyl radicals and unsaturated (C₂-C₈)-alkyl radicals, a (C₁-C₄)-alkyl radical comprehending saturated (C₁-C₄)-alkyl radicals and unsaturated (C₂-C₄)alkyl radicals. Examples of unsaturated alkyl radicals are the vinyl radical, the 2-propenyl radical (allyl radical), the 2-butenyl radical, the 2-methyl-2-propenyl radical, the ethynyl radical, the 2-propynyl radical (propargyl radical) or the 3-butynyl radical. If alkyl radicals are substituted by one or more substituents, they are preferably substituted by one, two or three, in particular by one or two, identical or different substituents. Substituents can be situated on any desired carbon atoms of the alkyl radical.

Cycloalkyl is, for example, cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl, cyclooctyl or cyclononyl, which can all also be substituted as indicated, for example by one or more identical identical or different (C₁-C₄)-alkyl radicals, in particular by methyl, and/or by hydroxyl. If cycloalkyl radicals are substituted by one or more substituents, they are preferably substituted by one, two, three or four, in particular by one or two, identical or different substituents. Examples of such substituted cycloalkyl radicals are 4-methylcyclohexyl, 4-tert-butylcyclohexyl, 4-hydroxycyclohexyl, 4-aminocyclohexyl or 2,3-dimethylcyclopentyl. Substituents can be situated on any desired carbon atoms of the cycloalkyl radical.

Carbocyclic aryl radicals such as phenyl radicals and naphthyl radicals and heteroaryl radicals can, if not stated otherwise, be unsubstituted or carry one or more, for example one, two, three or four, identical or different substituents, which can be situated in any desired positions. If not stated otherwise, the substituents indicated in the definition of the group aryl, for example, can occur as substituents in these radicals. If nitro groups are resent as substituents in compounds of the formula I, altogether only up to two nitro groups can be present in the molecule. If an aryl radical such as, for example, a phenyl radical in turn carries a phenyl radical as a substituent, the benzene ring in the latter can also in turn be unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, for example one, two, three or four, identical or different radicals, for example by radicals from the group consisting of (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, halogen, hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, trifluoromethyl, cyano, hydroxycarbonyl, ((C₁-C₄)-alkoxy)carbonyl, aminocarbonyl, nitro, amino, (C₁-C₄)-alkylamino, di-((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)amino and ((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)carbonylamino.

In monosubstituted phenyl radicals, the substituent can be situated in the 2-position, the 3-position or the 4-position, in disubstituted phenyl radicals the substituents can be situated in the 2,3-position, 2,4-position, 2,5-position, 2,6-position, 3,4-position or 3,5-position. In trisubstituted phenyl radicals, the substituents can be situated in the 2,3,4-position, 2,3,5-position, 2,3,6-position, 2,4,5-position, 2,4,6-position or 3,4,5-position. Naphthyl can be 1-naphthyl or 2-naphthyl. In monosubstituted 1-naphthyl radicals, the substituent can be situated in the 2-position, the 3-position, the 4-position, the 5-position, the 6-position, the 7-position or the 8-position, in monosubstituted 2-naphthyl radicals in the 1-position, the 3-position, the 4-position, the 5-position, the 6-position, the 7-position or the 8-position. In polysubstituted naphthyl radicals, for example di- or trisubstituted naphthyl radicals, the substituents can also be situated in all possible positions.

If not stated otherwise, heteroaryl radicals, radicals of saturated heterocyclic rings and radicals of rings which are formed from two groups bonded to a nitrogen atom together with this nitrogen atom are preferably derived from heterocycles which contain one, two, three or four identical or different ring heteroatoms, particularly preferably from heterocycles which contain one or two or three, in particular one or two, identical or different ring heteroatoms. If not stated otherwise, the heterocycles can be monacyclic or polycyclic, for example monocyclic, bicyclic or tricyclic. Preferably, they are monocyclic or bicyclic, in particular monocyclic. The individual rings preferably contain 5, 6 or 7 ring members. Examples of monocyclic and bicyclic heterocyclic systems from which radicals occurring in the compounds of the formula I can be derived are pyrrole, furan, thiophene, imidazole, pyrazole, 1,2,3-triazole, 1,2,4-triazole, 1,3-dioxole, 1,3-oxazole, 1,2-oxazole, 1,3-hiazole, 1,2-thiazole, tetrazole, pyridine, pyridazine, pyrimidine, pyrazine, pyran, thiopyran, 1,4-dioxin, 1,2-oxazine, 1,3-oxazine, 1,4-oxazine, 1,2-thiazine, 1,3-thiazine, 1,4-thiazine, 1,2,3-triazine, 1,2,4-triazine, 1,3,5-triazine, 1,2,4,5-tetrazine, azepine, 1,2-diazepine, 1,3-diazepine, 1,4-diazepine, 1,3-oxazepine, 1,3-thiazepine, indole, benzothiophene, benzofuran, benzothiazole, benzimidazole, quinoline, isoquinoline, cinnoline, quinazoline, quinoxaline, phthalazine, thienothiophenes, 1,8-naphthyridine and other naphthyridines, pteridine, or phenothiazine, all in each case in saturated form (perhydro form) or in partially unsaturated form (for example dihydro form and tetrahydro form) or in maximally unsaturated form, if the forms concerned are known and stable. The heterocycles which are suitable also include, for example, the saturated heterocycles pyrrolidine, piperidine, perhydroazepine (hexamethyleneimine), piperazine, morpholine, 1,3-thiazolidine and thiomorpholine. The degree of saturation of heterocyclic groups is indicated in the individual definitions. Unsaturated heterocycles can, for example, contain one, two or three double bonds in the ring system, 5-membered rings and 6-membered rings in monocyclic and polycyclic heterocycles can, in particular, also be aromatic.

Heterocyclic radicals can be bonded via any suitable ring carbon atom. Nitrogen heterocycles, for example pyrrole, imidazole, pyrrolidine, piperidine, hexamethyleneimine, 1,3-thiazolidine, morpholine, thiomorpholine, piperazine etc., can also be bonded via any suitable ring nitrogen atom, in particular if the nitrogen heterocycle concerned is bonded to a carbon atom. For example, a thienyl radical can be present as a 2-thienyl radical or 3-thienyl radical, a furan radical as a 2-furyl radical or 3-furyl radical, a pyridyl radical as a 2-pyridyl radical, 3-pyridyl radical or 4-pyridyl radical, a piperidine radical as a 1-piperidinyl radical (=piperidino radical), 2-piperidinyl radical, 3-piperidinyl radical or 4-piperidinyl radical, a (thio)morpholine radical as a 2-(thio)morpholinyl radical, 3-(thio)morpholinyl radical or 4-(thio)morpholinyl radical (=(thio)morpholino radical). A radical which is derived from 1,3-thiazole can be bonded via the 2-position, the 3-position, the 4-position or the 5-position, a radical which is derived from imidazole can be bonded via the 1-position, the 2-position, the 4-position or the 5-position.

If not stated otherwise, the heterocyclic groups can be unsubstituted or can carry one or more, for example one, two, three or four identical or different substituents. The substituents in heterocycles can be situated in any desired positions, for example in a 2-thienyl radical or 2-furyl radical in the 3-position and/or in the 4-position and/or in the 5-position, in a 3-thienyl radical or 3-furyl radical in the 2-position and/or in the 4-position and/or in the 5-position, in a 2-pyridyl radical in the 3-position and/or in the 4-position and/or in the 5-position and/or in the 6-position, in a 3-pyridyl radical in the 2-position and/or in the 4-position and/or in the 5-position and/or in the 6-position, in a 4-pyridyl radical in the 2-position and/or in the 3-position and/or in the 5-position and/or in the 6-position. If not stated otherwise, the substituents which can occur are, for example, the substituents indicated in the definition of the group aryl, in the case of saturated or partially unsaturated heterocycles as further substituents also the oxo group and the thioxo group. Substituents on a heterocycle and also substituents on a carbocycle can also form a ring, further rings can thus be fused to a ring system such that, for example, cyclopenta-fused, cyclohexa-fused or benzo-fused rings can be present. If not stated otherwise, possible substituents on a substitutable nitrogen atom of a heterocycle are, for example, unsubstituted and substituted (C₁-C₄)-alkyl radicals, aryl radicals, acyl radicals such as —CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl or —CO-aryl, or sulfonyl radicals such as —SO₂—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl or —SO₂-aryl. Suitable sulfur heterocycles can also be present as S-oxides or S,S-dioxides, i.e. they can contain the group S(═O) or the group S(═O)₂ instead of a sulfur atom. Suitable nitrogen heterocycles can also be present as N-oxides or as quaternary salts with an anion derived from a physiologically tolerable acid as a counterion. Pyridyl radicals can be present, for example, as pyridine N-oxides.

Halogen is fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine, preferably fluorine or chlorine.

The present invention includes all stereoisomeric forms of the compounds of the formula I. Asymmetric centers contained in the compounds of the formula I can all independently of one another have the S configuration or the R configuration. The invention includes all possible enantiomers and diastereomers, as well as mixtures of two or more stereoisomeric forms, for example mixtures of enantiomers and/or diastereomers, in all ratios. The invention thus relates to enantiomers in enantiomerically pure form, both as levorotatory and as dextrorotatory antipodes, in the form of racemates and in the form of mixtures of the two enantiomers in all ratios. In the presence of cis/trans isomerism, for example on double bonds or cycloalkyl groups, the invention relates both to the cis form and the trans form and mixtures of these forms in all ratios. Individual stereoisomers can be prepared, if desired, by resolution of a mixture by customary methods, for example by chromatography or crystallization, by use of stereochemically homogeneous starting substances in the synthesis or by stereoselective synthesis. If appropriate, derivatization can be carried out before separation of stereoisomers. The separation of a stereoisomer mixture can be carried out at the stage of the compounds of the formula I or at the stage of an intermediate in the course of the synthesis. If mobile hydrogen atoms are present, the present invention also includes all tautomeric forms of the compounds of the formula I.

If the compounds of the formula I contain one or more acidic or basic groups, the invention also relates to the corresponding physiologically or toxicologically tolerable salts, in particular the pharmaceutically utilizable salts. Thus the compounds of the formula I which contain acidic groups, can be present on these groups, and can be used according to the invention, for example as alkali metal salts, alkaline earth metal salts or as ammonium salts. Examples of such salts are sodium salts, potassium salts, calcium salts, magnesium salts or salts with ammonia or organic amines, for example ethylamine, ethanolamine, triethanolamine or amino acids. Compounds of the formula I which contain one or more basic, i.e. protonatable, groups can be present, and can be used according to the invention, in the form of their acid addition salts with physiologically tolerable inorganic or organic acids, for example as salts with hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, methanesulfonic acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid, naphthalenedisulfonic acids, oxalic acid, acetic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, benzoic acid, formic acid, propionic acid, pivalic acid, diethylacetic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, pimelic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, malic acid, sulfamic acid, phenylpropionic acid, gluconic acid, ascorbic acid, isonicotinic acid, citric acid, adipic acid etc. If the compounds of the formula I simultaneously contain acidic and basic groups in the molecule, in addition to the salt forms outlined the invention also includes internal salts or betaines (zwifterions). Salts can be obtained from the compounds of the formula I by customary processes known to the person skilled in the art, for example by combination with an organic or inorganic acid or base in a solvent or dispersant, or alternatively from other salts by anion exchange or cation exchange. The present invention also includes all salts of the compounds of the formula I which, because of low physiological tolerability, are not directly suitable for use in pharmaceuticals, but are suitable, for example, as intermediates for chemical reactions or for the preparation of physiologically tolerable salts.

The present invention furthermore includes all solvates of compounds of the formula I, for example hydrates or adducts with alcohols, and also derivatives of the compounds of the formula I such as, for example, esters and amides, and prodrugs and active metabolites.

Preferably, R¹ is (C₁-C₈)-alkyl which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents from the group consisting of hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl—S(O)_(m)—, R⁵R⁶N and aryl, or (C₃-C₉)—cycloalkyl which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents from the group consisting of (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino. Preferably, R² is hydrogen, (C₁-C₈)-alkyl which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents from the group consisting of hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-S(O)_(m)—, R⁵R⁶N and aryl, or (C₃-C₉)-cycloalkyl which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents from the group consisting of (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino. It is particularly preferred if R¹ is (C₁-C₈)-alkyl or (C₃-C₉)-cycloalkyl and R² is hydrogen or if R¹ and R² are identical or different (C₁-C₈)-alkyl, where all radicals can be unsubstituted or substituted as indicated. It is very particularly preferred if R¹ is (C₃-C₉)-cycloalkyl which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents from the group consisting of (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino, and R² is hydrogen. If R¹ is (C₃-C₉)-cycloalkyl which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents from the group consisting of (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino, or the radical of a 5-membered, 6-membered or 7-membered saturated heterocyclic ring which contains one or two identical or different hetero ring members from the group consisting of O, NR⁷ and S(O)_(m) and which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents from the group consisting of (C₁-C₄)-alkyl and aryl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-, then R² is preferably hydrogen. An alkyl radical representing R¹ or R² is preferably an unsubstituted or substituted (C₁-C₄)-alkyl radical. A (C₃-C₉)-cycloalkyl radical representing R¹ or R² is preferably an unsubstituted or substituted (C₃-C₇)-cycloalkyl radical.

In addition to the abovementioned preferred meanings of R¹ and R², it is furthermore preferred if the group R¹R²N is a radical, bonded via a ring nitrogen atom, of a 5-membered, 6-membered or 7-membered saturated heterocyclic ring which, in addition to the nitrogen atom carrying the radicals R¹ and R², can additionally contain as a further hetero ring member an oxygen atom, a group S(O)_(m) or a nitrogen atom carrying a radical R⁷ and which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents from the group consisting of (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, R⁸R⁹N, hydroxycarbonyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxycarbonyl and R⁸R⁹N—CO—. A radical representing R¹R²N of a heterocyclic ring is preferably derived from a 5-membered or 6-membered saturated heterocyclic ring, particularly preferably from piperidine, morpholine, thiomorpholine (and its S-oxide and S, S-dioxide) or piperazine, which can all be substituted as indicated, very particularly preferably from unsubstituted piperidine, morpholine or thiomorpholine (and its S-oxide and S,S-dioxide) or from N-methylpiperazine.

The aryl group representing R³ is preferably unsubstituted or substituted phenyl, particularly preferably substituted phenyl, very particularly preferably phenyl, which is substituted by one or two substituents from those indicated above for aryl. Especially preferably, R³ is phenyl which is substituted by one or two identical or different substituents from the group consisting of halogen and (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, moreover preferably phenyl which is substituted by chlorine or methyl. The substituent in a monosubstituted phenyl group representing R³ is preferably in the para-position.

R⁴ is preferably (C₂-C₅)-alkyl, trifluoromethyl or unsubstituted or substituted phenyl, particularly preferably straight-chain or branched (C₃-C₄)-alkyl, for example n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl or tert-butyl.

Aryl is preferably phenyl or 5-membered or 6-membered monocyclic heteroaryl having one or two, in particular one, heteroatom from the group consisting of N, O and S, which can be substituted as indicated, particularly preferably unsubstituted or substituted phenyl or unsubstituted pyridyl, thienyl or furyl, very particularly preferably unsubstituted or substituted phenyl or unsubstituted pyridyl.

Preferred compounds of the formula I are those in which one or more of the radicals contained therein have preferred meanings, the present invention relating to all combinations of preferred substituent definitions. The present invention also includes, of all preferred compounds of the formula I, all their stereoisomeric forms and mixtures thereof in all ratios, and their physiologically tolerable salts.

The present invention also relates to processes for the preparation of the compounds of the formula I, which are explained below and by which the compounds according to the invention are obtainable. The compounds of the formula I can be prepared by first reacting an amidine of the formula II in an manner known per se with a 3-oxopropionic acid ester of the formula III carrying a radical R⁴ in the 3-position to give a 4-hydroxypyrimidine of the formula IV. R in the formula III is, for example, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl such as methyl or ethyl. The hydroxypyrimidine of the formula IV is then activated, for example by conversion into a 4-halopyrimidine. For example, the compound of the formula IV can be converted into the 4-chloropyrimidine of the formula V by reaction with a phosphorus halide such as phosphorus oxychloride. By reaction of the compound of the formula V (or of another reactive derivative of the hydroxypyrimidine) with the desired amine of the formula VI, the compound of the formula I according to the invention is then obtained with replacement of the chlorine by the amino group. Suitable solvents for this replacement reaction are, for example, water, alcohols such as methanol, ethanol or isopropanol, ethers such as tetrahydrofuran or dioxane, amides such as dimethylformamide (DMF) or N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), or hydrocarbons or halogenated hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, xylene, chlorobenzene or dichlorobenzene.

The reactions for the synthesis of the compounds of the formula I can be carried out in a wide temperature range. Reaction temperatures of 20° C. to 150° C. are preferred. The reactions can be accelerated by addition of suitable bases such as, for example, sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium alkoxides, triethylamine or pyridine, in the first and in the last step additionally also by an excess of amidine of the formula II or amine of the formula VI. Instead of the free amidines of the formula II, the corresponding amidinium salts can also be employed. In this case, it is particularly convenient to carry out the first step with addition of bases. The intermediates of the formula IV and V and the final compounds of the formula I can be separated from the respective reaction mixture by customary processes such as crystallization, sublimation, chromatography or distillation and, if desired, purified, however, depending on the circumstances of the individual case, the intermediates can be reacted further also without intermediate isolation. Moreover, functional groups in the compounds obtained can be converted.

For example, thioether groups can be converted into sulfones or sulfoxides by oxidation with a peroxy compound such as 3-chloroperbenzoic acid or monoperoxyphthalic acid or hydrogen peroxide, or carboxylic acid ester groups can be hydrolyzed to the carboxylic acids.

All reactions for the synthesis of the compounds of the formula I are well known per se to the person skilled in the art and can be carried out under standard conditions according to or analogously to literature procedures, such as are described, for example, in Houben-Weyl, Methoden der Organischen Chemie [Methods of Organic Chemistry], Thieme-Verlag, Stuttgart, or Organic Reactions, John Wiley & Sons, New York. Depending on the conditions of the individual case, it may also be advantageous or necessary for the avoidance of side reactions in the synthesis of the compounds of the formula I to temporarily block certain functional groups by the introduction of protective groups and then later to liberate them again or to employ functional groups first in the form of precursors, from which the desired functional group is then produced in a later step. Such synthesis strategies and the protective groups or precursors suitable for the individual case are known to the person skilled in the art. The starting amidines of the formula II or their salts, the oxoesters of the formula III and the amines of the formula VI are commercially obtainable or can be prepared by or analogously to known processes.

The compounds of the formula I according to the invention bring about an increase in the cGMP concentration by means of the activation of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) and are therefore valuable agents for the therapy and prophylaxis of illnesses which are associated with a low or reduced cGMP level or are caused by such a level or for whose therapy or prophylaxis an increase in the cGMP level present is desired. The activation of sGC by the compounds of the formula I can be investigated, for example, in the activity assay described below.

Illnesses and pathological conditions which are associated with a low cGMP level or in which an increase in the cGMP level is desired and for whose therapy and prophylaxis compounds of the formula I can be employed are, for example, cardiovascular disorders such as endothelial dysfunction, diastolic dysfunction, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, stable and unstable angina pectoris, thromboses, restenoses, myocardial infarcts, strokes, cardiac insufficiency or pulmonary hypertension, or, for example, erectile dysfunction, bronchial asthma, chronic renal insufficiency and diabetes. Compounds of the formula I can more over be employed in the therapy of liver cirrhosis and for improving restricted learning capacity or memory power.

The compounds of the formula I and their physiologically tolerable salts can thus be used in animals, preferably in mammals, and in particular in humans, as pharmaceuticals on their own, in mixtures with one another or in the form of pharmaceutical preparations. The present invention therefore also relates to the compounds of the formula I and their physiologically tolerable salts for use as pharmaceuticals, their use for the normalization of a disturbed cGMP balance and in particular their use in the therapy and prophylaxis of the abovementioned syndromes, and their use for the production of medicaments therefor. The present invention furthermore relates to pharmaceutical preparations (or pharmaceutical compositions) which contain an efficacious dose of at least one compound of the formula I and/or of a physiologically tolerable salt thereof as an active constituent and a pharmaceutically tolerable carrier, i.e. one or more customary pharmaceutically tolerable vehicles and/or excipients (or additives).

The pharmaceuticals according to the invention can be administered orally, for example in the form of pills, tablets, film-coated tablets, coated tablets, granules, hard and soft gelatin capsules, aqueous, alcoholic or oily solutions, syrups, emulsions or suspensions, or rectally, for example in the form of suppositories. Administration, however, can also be carried out parenterally, for example subcutaneously, intramuscularly or intravenously in the form of injection solutions or infusion solutions. Further possible administration forms are, for example, percutaneous or topical application, for example in the form of ointments, tinctures, sprays or transdermal therapeutic systems, or administration by inhalation in the form of nasal sprays or aerosol mixtures, or, for example, microcapsules, implants or rods. The preferred administration form depends, for example, on the illness to be treated and its severity.

The pharmaceutical preparations normally contain 0.2 to 500 mg, preferably 1 to 200 mg, of active compound of the formula I and/or its physiologically tolerable salts; depending on the nature of the preparation and the intended use the amount of the active compound contained can also be larger. The pharmaceutical preparations can be produced in a manner known per se. For this, one or more compounds of the formula I and/or their physiologically tolerable salts are brought, together with one or more solid or liquid pharmaceutical vehicles and/or additives and, if desired, in combination with other pharmaceutical active compounds having therapeutic or prophylactic action, into a suitable administration form or dose form, which can then be used as a pharmaceutical in human or veterinary medicine. The pharmaceutical preparations normally contain 0.5 to 90 percent by weight of the compounds of the formula I and/or their physiologically tolerable salts.

For the production, for example, of pills, tablets, coated tablets and hard gelatin capsules, it is possible to use lactose, starch, for example corn starch, or starch derivatives, talc, stearic acid or its salts, etc. Vehicles for soft gelatin capsules and suppositories are, for example, fats, waxes, semisolid and liquid polyols, natural or hardened oils etc. Suitable vehicles for the preparation of solutions, for example injection solutions, or of emulsions or syrups are, for example, water, physiological saline solution, alcohols such as ethanol, glycerol, polyols, sucrose, invert sugar, glucose, mannitol, vegetable oils etc. The compounds of the formula I and their physiologically tolerable salts can also be lyophilized and the lyophilizates obtained used, for example, for the production of injection preparations or infusion preparations. Suitable vehicles for microcapsules, implants or rods are, for example, copolymers of glycolic acid and lactic acid.

In addition to the active compounds and vehicles, the pharmaceutical preparations can additionally contain customary excipients or additives, for example fillers, disintegrants, binders, lubricants, wetting agents, stabilizers, emulsifiers, dispersants, preservatives, sweetening agents, colorants, flavorings, aromatizers, thickening agents, diluents, buffer substances, solvents, solubilizers, agents for achieving a depot effect, salts for altering the osmotic pressure, coating agents or antioxidants.

The dose of the active compound of the formula I to be administered and/or of one of its physiologically tolerable salts depends on the individual case and is to be suited to the individual conditions as customary for an optimal action. Thus it depends on the nature and severity of the illness to be treated, on the sex, age, weight and individual responsiveness of the human or animal to be treated, on the potency and duration of action of the compounds employed, on whether the therapy is acute or chronic or prophylaxis is carried out, or on whether further active compounds are administered in addition to compounds of the formula I. In general, a daily dose of approximately 0.01 to 100 mg/kg, preferably 0.1 to 10 mg/kg, in particular 0.3 to 5 mg/kg (in each case mg per kg of body weight) is appropriate in the case of administration to an adult of about 75 kg in weight to achieve the desired action. The daily dose can be administered in a single dose or, in particular in the case of administration of relatively large amounts, divided into a number of, for example two, three or four, individual doses. If appropriate, depending on individual behavior, it may be necessary to deviate upward or downward from the daily dose indicated.

The compounds of the formula I activate the soluble guanylate cyclase. On account of this property, apart from as pharmaceutical active compounds in human medicine and veterinary medicine, they can also be used as a scientific tool or as an aid for biochemical investigations in which an effect on guanylate cyclase of this type is intended, and also for diagnostic properties, for example in the in vitro diagnosis of cell or tissue samples. In addition, the compounds of the formula I and their salts, as already mentioned above, can serve as intermediates for the preparation of further pharmaceutical active compounds.

The following examples illustrate the invention without restricting it.

EXAMPLES Example 1

2-(4-Chlorophenyl)-4-hydroxy-6-isopropylpyrimidine

A mixture of 19.1 g of 4-chlorobenzamidine hydrochloride, 15.8 g of ethyl 4-methyl-3-oxopentanoate, 11.2 g of potassium tert-butoxide and 200 ml of ethanol was heated under reflux for 2 hours. After cooling to room temperature, the solid was filtered off with suction, washed with water and with a little ethanol and dried at 40° C. in vacuo. Yield: 12.5 g. M.p.: 164° C.

The following were prepared analogously:

Example 2

2-(4-Chlorophenyl)4-hydroxy-6-trifluoromethylpyrimidine; m.p.: 258° C.

Example 3

2-(4-Chlorophenyl)6-tert-butyl-4-hydroxypyrimidine; m.p.: 193° C.

Example 4

2-(4-Chlorophenyl)4-hydroxy-6-phenylpyrimidine; m.p.: 306° C.

Example 5

2-(4-Methylphenyl)4-hydroxy-6-isopropylpyrimidine; m.p.: 164° C.

Example 6

2-(3,5-Dichlorophenyl)4-hydroxy-6-isopropylpyrimidine; m.p.: 203° C.

Example 7

2-(4-Aminocarbonylphenyl)-4-hydroxy-6-isopropylpyrimidine; m.p.: 294° C.

Example 8

4-Chloro-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-6isopropylpyrimidine

The mixture of 12 g of 2-(4-chlorophenyl)-4-hydroxy-6-isopropylpyrimidine and 35 ml of phosphorus oxychloride was heated at 90° C. for 3 hours with stirring. Most of the excess of the phosphorus oxychloride was distilled off in vacuo, and the residue was added to 100 ml of ice water and stirred. The solid white precipitate forming was filtered off with suction and dried in vacuo at room temperature.

Yield: 11.4 g

M.p.: 74° C.

The following were prepared analogously:

Example 9

4-Chloro-2-(4-chlorophenyl)6-trifluoromethylpyrimidine; m.p.: 76° C.

Example 10

4-Chloro-2-(4-chlorophenyl)6-tert-butylpyrimidine; m.p.: 93° C.

Example 11

4-Chloro-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-6-phenylpyrimidine; m.p.: 127° C.

Example 12

4-Chloro-2-(4-methylphenyl)6-isopropylpyrimidine; m.p.: oil

Example 13

4-Chloro-2-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-6-isopropylpyrimidine; m.p.: 59° C.

Example 14

4-Chloro-2-(4-cyanophenyl)-6-isopropylpyrimidine of m.p. 114° C. was obtained in an analogous reaction starting from 2-(4-aminocarbonylphenyl)-4-hydroxy-6-isopropylpyrimidine.

Example 15

2-(4-Chlorophenyl)-6isopropyl-4-((2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-4-yl)amino)-pyrimidine dihydrochloride

A mixture of 534 mg of 4-chloro-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-6-isopropylpyrimidine and 1.8 g of 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine was heated at 150° C. for 2 hours with stirring. After cooling, 20 ml of water were added and the mixture was stirred at room temperature. The white precipitate was filtered off with suction, dried in vacuo and taken up in 20 ml of ethyl acetate. By addition of hydrogen chloride, the title compound was precipitated, filtered off with suction and dried in vacuo. Yield: 0.8 g.

M.p.: 359° C.

Example 16

2-(4-Chlorophenyl)-6-isopropyl-4-morpholinopyrimidine

A mixture of 267 mg of 4-chloro-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-6-isopropylpyrimidine and 522 mg of morpholine was heated at 130° C. for 2 hours. After cooling, 20 ml of water were added, the mixture was stirred, and the solid was filtered off with suction and dried at 50° C. in vacuo. Yield: 0.28 g.

M.p.: 123° C.

The following compounds of the formula I were prepared analogously to Examples 15 and 16. If an acid is specified in the column “M.p.”, the compound was obtained in the form of the acid addition salt with the specified acid. The specification “2HCl” means that the compound was obtained as a dihydrochloride.

Ex. M.p. No. R⁴ R³ R¹R²N (° C.) 17 CF₃ 4-Chlorophenyl (3-Phenylpropyl)amino Oil 18 CF₃ 4-Chlorophenyl (2-Ethylthioethyl)amino 114 (HCl) 19 CF₃ 4-Chlorophenyl (1-Benzylpiperidin-4- 128 yl)amino (2HCl) 20 CF₃ 4-Chlorophenyl 4-(2-Hydroxyethyl)- 119 piperazino 21 Isopropyl 2-Pyridyl Benzylamino 150 22 Isopropyl 2-Pyrazinyl Thiomorpholino 107 23 Isopropyl 4-Methylphenyl (3-Methoxypropyl)amino Oil 24 Isopropyl 4-Methylphenyl Cyclopentylamino 66 25 Isopropyl 4-Methylphenyl (trans-4-Hydroxycyclo- Oil hexyl)amino 26 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl (3-Methoxypropyl)amino Oil 27 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl 4-Methylpiperazino 292 (2HCl) 28 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl Piperidino  75 29 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl Pyrrolidino 215 (HCl) 30 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl Thiomorpholino 215 (HCl) 31 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl (2-(3-Methoxyphenyl) 213 ethyl)amino (HCl) 32 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl Butylamino Oil 33 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl Diethylamino Oil 34 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl Dibutylamino 165 (HCl) 35 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl Dipropylamino 176 (HCl) 36 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl Diallylamino 118 37 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl Di(2-methoxyethyl)- 127 amino (HCl) 38 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl Perhydroazepin-1-yl  68 39 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl Benzylamino 108 40 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl (2-Methoxyethyl)- 152 amino (HCl) 41 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl (2-Ethylmercaptoethyl)- 148 amino (HCl) 42 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl (3-Morpholinopropyl)- 245 amino (2HCl) 43 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl N-(Ethyl)-N-(benzyl)- Oil amino 44 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl 4-Aminocarbonyl- 189 piperidino 45 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl 1,3-Thiazolidin-3-yl  77 46 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl 4-(Dimethylamino- 150 sulfonyl)piperazino 47 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl 4-Benzylpiperazino 265 (2HCl) 48 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl 4-((Isopropylamino- 133 carbonyl)methyl)- piperazino 49 tert-Butyl 4-Chlorophenyl 4-Methylpiperazino 122 50 tert-Butyl 4-Chlorophenyl (2-Methoxyethyl)amino  94 51 tert-Butyl 4-Chlorophenyl (3-Pyridylmethyl)amino 143 52 tert-Butyl 4-Chlorophenyl Morpholino 136 53 tert-Butyl 4-Chlorophenyl 4-(Dimethylamino- 168 sulfonyl)piperazino 54 tert-Butyl 4-Chlorophenyl (2,2,6,6-Tetramethyl- 142 piperidin-4-yl)amino 55 Phenyl 4-Chlorophenyl Morpholino 193 56 Phenyl 4-Chlorophenyl 4-Methylpiperazino 167 57 Phenyl 4-Chlorophenyl (3-Pyridylmethyl)amino 130 58 Phenyl 4-Chlorophenyl (3-(Imidazol-1-yl)- 154 propyl)amino 59 Phenyl 4-Chlorophenyl (2-(3-Methoxyphenyl)- 103 ethyl)amino (HCl) 60 Phenyl 4-Chlorophenyl 4-Carboxy-1,3- 113 thiazolidin-3-yl 61 Isopropyl 2-Thienyl Pyrrolidino  74 62 Isopropyl 2-Thienyl cis-2,6-Dimethyl- 103 morpholino 63 Phenyl 4-Chlorophenyl Diethylamino 132 64 Phenyl 4-Chlorophenyl Butylamino  95 (HCl) 65 Phenyl 4-Chlorophenyl Thiomorpholino 175 66 tert-Butyl 4-Chlorophenyl Thiomorpholino 119 67 Isopropyl 4-Pyridyl Butylamino 101 68 Isopropyl 4-Pyridyl (3-Phenylpropyl)amino Resin 69 Phenyl 4-Chlorophenyl Dipropylamino  72 70 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl Cyclopropylamino Oil 71 CF₃ 4-Chlorophenyl (3-Pyridylmethyl)amino 181 72 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl 3,3-Dimethylpiperidino Oil 73 CF₃ 4-Chlorophenyl 4-Methylpiperazino 108 74 CF₃ 4-Chlorophenyl Morpholino 184 75 tert-Butyl 4-Chlorophenyl Perhydroazepin-1-yl 151 76 tert-Butyl 4-Chlorophenyl 4-Aminocarbonyl- 164 piperidino 77 Isopropyl 3,5- (trans-4-Hydroxy- 174 Dichlorophenyl cyclohexyl)amino 78 Isopropyl 3,5- (2-Hydroxyethyl)amino  88 Dichlorophenyl 79 Isopropyl 3,5- Butylamino 190 Dichlorophenyl (HCl) 80 Isopropyl 3,5- Diethylamino Oil Dichlorophenyl 81 Isopropyl 3,5- Morpholino 138 Dichlorophenyl 82 Isopropyl 3,5- Thiomorpholino 130 Dichlorophenyl 83 Isopropyl 3,5- 4-Methylpiperazino 123 Dichlorophenyl 84 Isopropyl 3,5- Dipropylamino Oil Dichlorophenyl 85 Isopropyl 4-Methylphenyl Dipropylamino Oil 86 Isopropyl 4-Methylphenyl Diethylamino 180 (HCl) 87 Isopropyl 4-Methylphenyl (3-Hydroxypropyl)amino  86 88 Isopropyl 4-Methylphenyl Butylamino Oil 89 Isopropyl 4-Methylphenyl Morpholino  95 90 Isopropyl 4-Methylphenyl Thiomorpholino 107 91 Isopropyl 4-Methylphenyl 4-Methylpiperazino  70 92 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl N-(Ethyl)-N-(butyl)- Oil amino 93 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl N-(Methyl)-N-(butyl)- Oil amino 94 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl 4-(2-Pyridyl)piperazino 166 95 CF₃ 4-Chlorophenyl 4-(2-Pyridyl)piperazino 174 96 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl cis/trans-2,6-Dimethyl- Oil morpholino 97 Isopropyl 4-Methylphenyl cis-2,6-Dimethyl- Oil morpholino 98 Isopropyl 4-Methylphenyl Di(2-methoxyethyl)- Oil amino 99 Isopropyl 4-Methylphenyl 4-Aminocarbonyl- 192 piperidino 100 Isopropyl 4-Methylphenyl Perhydroazepin-1-yl Oil 101 tert-Butyl 4-Chlorophenyl cis-2,6-Dimethyl- 117 morpholino 102 tert-Butyl 4-Chlorophenyl (3-Methoxypropyl)amino Oil 103 tert-Butyl 4-Chlorophenyl Di(2-methoxyethyl)- Oil amino 104 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl cis-2,6-Dimethyl- 114 morpholino 105 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl (2-Diisopropylamino- 219 ethyl)amino (2HCl) 106 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl 4-(2-Hydroxyethyl)- 227 piperazino (2HCl) 107 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl (1-Benzylpiperidin- 250 4-yl)amino (2HCl) 108 Phenyl 4-Chlorophenyl cis/trans-2,6-Dimethyl- 187 morpholino 109 Phenyl 4-Chlorophenyl (3-Methoxypropyl)amino Oil 110 Phenyl 4-Chlorophenyl Di(2-methoxyethyl)- Oil amino 111 Phenyl 4-Chlorophenyl 4-Aminocarbonyl- 204 piperidino 112 Phenyl 4-Chlorophenyl Perhydroazepin-1-yl 126 113 Isopropyl 4-Cyanophenyl (4-Hydroxybutyl)amino  93 114 Isopropyl 4-Cyanophenyl (3-Methoxypropyl)amino  70 115 Isopropyl 4-Cyanophenyl Butylamino  89 116 Isopropyl 4-Cyanophenyl Cyclopentylamino 141 117 Isopropyl 4-Cyanophenyl (4-Hydroxycyclohexyl)- 101 amino 118 Isopropyl 4-Cyanophenyl (3-Pyridylmethyl)amino 149 119 Isopropyl 4-Cyanophenyl Dipropylamino  80 120 Isopropyl 4-Cyanophenyl Perhydroazepin-1-yl 117 121 Isopropyl 4-Cyanophenyl Morpholino 224 122 Isopropyl 4-Cyanophenyl 4-Methylpiperazino 152 123 Isopropyl 2-Methylthiazol- Dipropylamino Oil 4-yl 124 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl Cyclopentylamino  82 125 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl (trans-4-Hydroxycyclo- 138 hexyl)amino 126 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl (trans-4-Aminocyclo- 128 hexyl)amino 127 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl (cis/trans-4-Hydroxy- Oil cyclohexyl)amino 128 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl (4-Methylcyclohexyl)- Oil amino 129 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl N-(Cyclohexyl)-N-  88 (methyl)amino 130 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl (2-Isopropyl-5- Oil methylcyclohexyl)amino 131 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl (trans-2-Hydroxycyclo- Oil hexyl)amino 132 tert-Butyl 4-Chlorophenyl Cyclopentylamino  89 133 tert-Butyl 4-Chlorophenyl (trans-4-Hydroxycyclo- 173 hexyl)amino 134 CF₃ 4-Chlorophenyl Cyclopentylamino  99 135 Phenyl 4-Chlorophenyl (trans-4-Hydroxycyclo-  95 hexyl)amino 136 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl 4-Hydroxypiperidino 121 137 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl (4-Hydroxybutyl)amino Oil 138 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl (Benzimidazol-2- 112 ylmethyl)amino 139 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl Cyclobutylamino  70 140 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl Cyclononylamino Oil 141 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl 3-Diethylaminocarbonyl- Oil piperidino 142 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl ((R)-1-Phenylethyl)- Oil amino 143 Isopropyl 4-Chlorophenyl ((S)-1-Phenylethyl)- Oil amino

Example 144

2-(4-Chlorophenyl)-6-isopropyl-4-(1-oxothiomorpholino)pyrimidine 0.25 g of 2-(4-chlorophenyl)-6-isopropyl-4-thiomorpholinopyrimidine was dissolved in 1 ml of glacial acetic acid and treated with 0.068 ml of a 35% strength hydrogen peroxide solution. After 2 hours, the mixture was diluted with 20 ml of water and the product was extracted with ethyl acetate. The ethyl acetate phase was extracted twice by shaking with 10 ml of water and the organic phase was concentrated after drying over sodium sulfate. The residue was recrystallized from isopropanol. Yield: 0.18 g.

M.p.: 171° C.

The following sulfoxides and sulfones were prepared analogously:

Example 145

2-(4-Chlorophenyl)-6-isopropyl-4-(1,1-dioxothiomorpholino)pyrimidine; m.p.: 226° C.

Example 146

2-(4-Chlorophenyl)6-isopropyl-4-(1-oxo-1,3-thiazolidin-1-yl)pyrimidine; m.p.: 128° C.

Example 147

2-(4-Chlorophenyl)-4-((2-ethylsulfinylethyl)amino)-6-isopropylpyrimidine; m.p.: 103° C.

Example 148

6-Isopropyl-2-(4-methylphenyl)-4-(1-oxothiomorpholino)pyrimidine; m.p.: 152° C.

Example 149

2-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-6-isopropyl-4-(1-oxothiomorpholino)pyrimidine; m.p.: 187° C.

Pharmacological Investigations

Activation of Soluble Guanylate Cyclase

The activation of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), which catalyzes the conversion of guanosine triphosphate (GTP) to cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) and pyrophosphate, by the compounds according to the invention was quantified with the aid of an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) from Amersham. For this, the test substances were first incubated with sGC in microtiter plates and then the quantity of the resulting cGMP was determined.

The sGC employed had been isolated from bovine lung (see Methods in Enzymology, Volume 195, p. 377). The test solutions (100 μl per well) contained 50 mM triethanolamine (TEA) buffer (pH 7.5), 3 mM MgCl₂, 3 mM reduced glutathione (GSH), 0.1 mM GTP, 1 mM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX), suitably diluted enzyme solution and the test substance or, in the control experiments, solvent. The test substances were dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and the solution was diluted with DMSO/water such that the final concentration c of test substance in the test batch was 50 μM. The DMSO concentration in the test batch was 5% (v/v). The reaction was started by addition of the sGC. The reaction mix was incubated at 37° C. for 15 to 20 minutes and then stopped by ice-cooling and addition of the stop reagent (50 mM EDTA, pH 8.0). An aliquot of 50 μl was taken and employed for the determination of the cGMP content using the acetylation protocol of the Amersham cGMP EIA kit. The absorption of the samples was measured at 450 nm (reference wavelength 620 nm) in a microtiter plate reading apparatus. The cGMP concentration was determined by means of a calibration curve, which was obtained under the same experimental conditions. The activation of the sGC by a test substance is indicated as n-fold stimulation of the basal enzyme activity which was found in the control experiments (with solvent instead of test substance) (calculated according to the formula n-fold stimulation=[cGMP] _(test substance) /[cGMP] _(control)).

The following results were obtained:

Compound of n-fold stimulation Example No. at c = 50 μM 23 >8 25 28 29 >4 30 >4 32 >4 33 >16 34 >4 35 >16 36 >8 38 >8 43 >4 44 >4 45 >4 52 >8 63 >4 66 >4 69 >4 77 30 79 >4 80 >16 81 >4 82 >4 84 >16 85 >16 86 >16 88 >8 89 >8 90 >16 97 >16 98 >8 99 >4 100 >8 112 >8 124 >16 125 32 133 >16 137 >16 

1. A compound of the formula I,

in which R¹ is (C₁-C₈)-alkyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-S(O)_(m)—, R⁵R⁶N and aryl; (C₃-C₉)-cycloalkyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino; or a radical of a 5-membered to 7-membered saturated heterocyclic ring with one or two identical or different hetero ring members chosen from O, NR⁷ and S(O)_(m) and that can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl and aryl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-; and R² is hydrogen, (C₁-C₈)-alkyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-S(O)_(m)—, R⁵R⁶N and aryl; (C₃-C₉)-cycloalkyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino; or the radical of a 5-membered to 7-membered saturated heterocyclic ring with one or two identical or different hetero ring members chosen from O, NR⁷ and S(O)_(m) and that can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl and aryl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-; or R¹R²N is a radical, bonded via a ring nitrogen atom, of a 5-membered to 7-membered saturated heterocyclic ring optionally with, in addition to the nitrogen atom carrying the radicals R¹ and R², a further hetero ring member chosen from O, NR⁷ and S(O)_(m) and that can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, R⁸R⁹N, hydroxycarbonyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxycarbonyl and R⁸R⁹N—CO—; R³ is phenyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, phenyl, CF₃, NO₂, OH, —O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —O(C₂-C₄)-alkyl-O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₁-C₂)-alkylenedioxy, NH₂, —NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)₂, —NH—CHO, —NH—CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CN, —CO—NH₂, —CO—NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CO—N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)₂, —CO—OH, —CO—O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CHO and —CO—(C₁-C₄) -alkyl; R⁴ is (C₂-C₅)-alkyl, trifluoromethyl or phenyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, phenyl, CF₃, NO₂, OH, —O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —O—(C₂-C₄)-alkyl-O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₁-C₂)-alkylenedioxy, NH₂, —NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)₂, —NH—CHO, —NH—CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CN, —CO—NH₂, —CO—NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CO—N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)₂, —CO—OH, —CO—O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CHO and —CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl; R⁵ and R⁶ are identical or different radicals chosen from hydrogen and (C₁-C₄)-alkyl; or the group R⁵R⁶N is a radical, bonded via a ring nitrogen atom, of a 5-membered to 7-membered saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic ring optionally with, in addition to the nitrogen atom carrying the radicals R⁵ and R⁶, a further hetero ring member chosen from an oxygen atom, a group S(O)_(m) and a nitrogen atom and that can carry on ring carbon atoms one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino and that can carry on a ring nitrogen atom a radical R⁷; R⁷ is hydrogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, aryl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-, hydroxy-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxycarbonyl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-, ((C₁-C₄)-alkoxycarbonyl)-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, R⁸R⁹N—CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-, R¹⁰—SO₂— or aryl; where R⁷, if this group is present on a piperazino radical representing R¹R²N, cannot be carbocyclic aryl or carbocyclic aryl-(C¹-C⁴)-alkyl; R⁸ and R⁹ are identical or different radicals chosen from hydrogen and (C₁-C₄)-alkyl; R¹⁰ is (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, aryl or R⁸R⁹N; aryl is phenyl, naphthyl or heteroaryl, all of which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, phenyl, CF₃, NO₂, OH, —O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, O—(C₂-C₄)-alkyl-O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₁-C₂)-alkylenedioxy, NH₂, —NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)₂, —NH—CHO, —NH—CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CN, CO—NH₂, —CO—NH—(C₁-C₄)alkyl, —CO—N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)₂, —CO—OH, —CO—O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CHO and —CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl; heteroaryl is the radical of a monocyclic 5-membered or 6-membered aromatic heterocycle or of a bicyclic 8-membered to 10-membered aromatic heterocycle, each of which with one or two identical or different ring heteroatoms chosen from N, O and S; m is 0, 1 or 2; or a stereoisomeric form of a compound of formula I, or a mixture of stereoisomeric forms of compounds of formula I in all ratios, or a physiologically tolerable salt of a compound of formula I, or a physiologically tolerable salt of a stereoisomeric form of a compound of formula I; compounds of the formula I being excluded in which, simultaneously, R⁴ is ethyl, tert-butyl, trifluoromethyl, or unsubstituted phenyl; R³ is phenyl, which can be substituted by one or two identical or different substituents chosen from halogen, OH, —O—R¹¹ and CF₃, R¹R²N is R¹¹ —NH—, (R¹¹)₂N— or R¹²R¹³N—(CH₂)_(p)—NH—; p is 2 or 3; R¹¹ is saturated unsubstituted (C₁-C₄)-alkyl; and R¹² and R¹³ are identical or different radicals chosen from hydrogen and R¹¹ or the group R¹²R¹³N is a radical, bonded via a ring nitrogen atom, of a 5-membered or 6-membered saturated heterocyclic ring optionally with, in addition to the nitrogen atom carrying the radicals R¹² and R¹³, a further hetero ring member chosen from an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom and a nitrogen atom and that can be substituted by an aryl radical or by an aryl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl radical, wherein the aryl group can be substituted by one or two identical or different substituents chosen from halogen, OH, —O—R¹¹, and CF₃.
 2. A compound of claim 1, in which R¹ is (C₁-C₈)-alkyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents, chosen from, hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-S(O)_(m)—, R⁵R⁶N and aryl; or is (C₃-C₉)-cycloalkyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino; and R² is hydrogen, (C₁-C₈)-alkyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, (C₁-C₄) alkyl-S(O)_(m)—, R⁵R⁶N and aryl; or is (C₃-C₉)-cycloalkyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino; or R¹R²N is a radical, bonded via a ring nitrogen atom of a 5-membered, 6-membered or 7-membered saturated heterocyclic ring optionally with, in addition to the nitrogen atom carrying the radicals R¹ and R², a further hetero ring member chosen from an oxygen atom, a group S(O)_(m) and a nitrogen atom carrying a radical R⁷ and that can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, R⁸R⁹N, hydroxycarbonyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxycarbonyl and R⁸R⁹N—CO.
 3. A compound of claim 1, in which R¹ is (C₁-C₄)alkyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-S(O)_(m)—, R⁵R⁶N and aryl, or (C₃-C₉)cycloalkyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino, and R² is hydrogen; or R¹ and R² are identical or different (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-S(O)_(m)—, R⁵R⁶N and aryl.
 4. A compound of claim 1, in which R¹ is (C₃-C₉)-cycloalkyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino, and R² is hydrogen.
 5. A compound of claim 1, in which R¹R²N— is an unsubstituted or substituted radical chosen from piperidino, morpholino and thiomorpholino (and its S-oxide and S,S-dioxide) and piperazino.
 6. A compound of the formula I,

in which R¹ is (C₁-C₈)-alkyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl—S(O)_(m)—, R⁵R⁶N and aryl; (C₃-C₉)-cycloalkyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino; or a radical of a 5-membered to 7-membered saturated heterocyclic ring with one or two identical or different hetero ring members chosen from O, NR⁷ and S(O))_(m) and that can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl and aryl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-; and R² is hydrogen, (C₁-C₈)-alkyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, (C₁-C₄) -alkyl-S(O)_(m)—, R⁵R⁶N and aryl; (C₃-C₉)-cycloalkyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino; or the radical of a 5-membered to 7-membered saturated heterocyclic ring with one or two identical or different hetero ring members chosen from O, NR⁷ and S(O)_(m) and that can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl and aryl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-; or R¹R²N is a radical, bonded via a ring nitrogen atom, of a 5-membered to 7-membered saturated heterocyclic ring optionally with, in addition to the nitrogen atom carrying the radicals R¹ and R², a further hetero ring member chosen from O, NR⁷ and S(O)_(m) and that can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, R⁸R⁹N, hydroxycarbonyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxycarbonyl and R⁸R⁹N—CO—; R³ is phenyl, which is substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, phenyl, CF₃, NO₂, OH, —O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —O—(C₂-C₄)-alkyl, —O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₁-C₂)-alkylenedioxy, NH₂—NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)₂, —NH—CHO, —NH—CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CN, —CO—NH₂, —CO—NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CO—N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)-₂, —CO—OH, —CO—O—(C₂-C₄)-alkyl, —CHO and —CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl; R⁴ is (C₁-C₅)-alkyl, trifluoromethyl or phenyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, phenyl, CF₃, NO₂, OH, —O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —O—(C₂-C₄)-alkyl-O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₁-C₂)-alkylenedioxy NH₂, —NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)₂, —NH—CHO, —NH—CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CN, —CO—NH₂, —CO—NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CO—N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)₂, —CO—OH, —CO—O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CHO and —CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl; R⁵ and R⁶ are identical or different radicals chosen from hydrogen and (C₁-C₄)-alkyl; or the group R⁵R⁶N is a radical, bonded via a ring nitrogen atom, of a 5-membered to 7-membered saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic ring optionally with, in addition to the nitrogen atom carrying the radicals R⁵ and R⁶, a further hetero ring member chosen from an oxygen atom, a group S(O)_(m) and a nitrogen atom and that can carry on ring carbon atoms one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino and that can carry on a ring nitrogen atom a radical R⁷; R⁷ is hydrogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, aryl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-, hydroxy-(C₁-C₄)alkyl, hydroxycarbonyl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-, ((C₁-C₄)alkoxycarbonyl)-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, R⁸R⁹N—CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-, R¹⁰—SO₂— or aryl; where R⁷, if this group is present on a piperazino radical representing R¹R²N, cannot be carbocyclic aryl or carbocyclic aryl-(C¹-C⁴)-alkyl; R⁸ and R⁹ are identical or different radicals chosen from hydrogen and (C₁-C₄)-alkyl; R¹⁰ is (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, aryl or R⁸R⁹N; aryl is phenyl, naphthyl or heteroaryl, all of which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from halogen, (C₁-C₄)alkyl, phenyl, CF₃, NO₂, OH, —O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, O—(C₂-C₄)-alkyl-O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₁-C₂)-alkylenedioxy, NH₂, —NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)₂—NH—CHO, —NH—CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CN, CO—NH₂, —CO—NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CO—N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)₂, —CO—OH, —CO—O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CHO and —CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl; heteroaryl is the radical of a monocyclic 5-membered or 6-membered aromatic heterocycle or of a bicyclic 8-membered to 10-membered aromatic heterocycle, each of which with one or two identical or different ring heteroatoms chosen from N, O and S; m is 0, 1 or 2; or a stereoisomeric form of a compound of formula I, or a mixture of stereoisomeric forms of compounds of formula I in all ratios, or a physiologically tolerable salt of a compound of formula I, or a physiologically tolerable salt of a stereoisomeric form of a compound of formula I; compounds of the formula I being excluded in which, simultaneously, R⁴ is ethyl, tert-butyl, or trifluoromethyl; R³ is phenyl, which is substituted by one or two identical or different substituents chosen from halogen, OH, —O—R¹¹ and CF₃, R¹R²N is R¹¹—NH—, (R¹¹)₂N— or R¹²R¹³N—(CH₂)_(p)—NH—; p is 2 or 3; R¹¹ is saturated unsubstituted (C₁-C₄)-alkyl; and R¹² and R¹³ are identical or different radicals chosen from hydrogen and R¹¹ or the group R¹²R¹³N is a radical, bonded via a ring nitrogen atom, of a 5-membered or 6-membered saturated heterocyclic ring optionally with, in addition to the nitrogen atom carrying the radicals R¹² and R¹³, a further hetero ring member chosen from an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom and a nitrogen atom and that can be substituted by an aryl radical or by an aryl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl radical, wherein the aryl group can be substituted by one or two identical or different substituents chosen from halogen, OH, —O—R¹¹, and CF₃.
 7. A compound of claim 1, in which R⁴ is (C₃-C₄)-alkyl.
 8. A compound of claim 5, in which R³ is substituted phenyl.
 9. A compound of claim 5, in which R⁴ is (C₃-C₄)-alkyl.
 10. A compound of claim 1, in which R¹ is (C₃-C₇)-cycloalkyl, which can be substituted by one or two identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino, and R² is hydrogen.
 11. A compound of claim 1, in which R¹ is (C₃-C₉)-cloalkyl, which is substituted by hydroxyl and R² is hydrogen.
 12. A compound of claim 1, in which R¹ is cyclopentyl or cyclohexyl, wherein said cyclopentyl or cyclohexyl can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino, and R² is hydrogen.
 13. A compound of claim 1, in which R¹ is cyclopentyl or cyclohexyl, wherein said cyclopentyl or cyclohexyl is substituted by one or two identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino, and R² is hydrogen.
 14. A compound of claim 1, in which R¹ is cyclopentyl or cyclohexyl, wherein said cyclopentyl or cyclohexyl is substituted by hydroxyl, and R² is hydrogen.
 15. A compound of claim 1, in which R¹ is cyclohexyl, which is substituted by hydroxyl, and R² is hydrogen.
 16. A compound of claim 1, in which R¹ is 4-hydroxycyclohexyl and R² is hydrogen.
 17. A compound of claim 1, in which R¹ is (C₁-C₈)-alkyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-S(O)_(m)—, R⁵R⁶N— and aryl, and R² is hydrogen.
 18. A compound of the formula I,

in which R¹R²N is cyclopentylamino, R³ is 4-methylphenyl, and R⁴ is isopropyl; or R¹R²N is (trans-4-hydroxycyclohexyl)amino, R³ is 4-methylphenyl, and R⁴ is isopropyl; or R¹R²N is cyclopropylamino, R³ is 4-chlorophenyl, and R⁴ is isopropyl; or R¹R²N is (trans-4-hydroxycyclohexyl)amino, R³ is 3,5-dichlorophenyl, and R⁴ is isopropyl; or R¹R²N is cyclopentylamino, R³ is 4-cyanophenyl, and R⁴ is isopropyl; or R¹R²N is (4-hydroxycyclohexyl)amino, R³ is 4-cyanophenyl, and R⁴ is isopropyl; or R¹R²N is cyclopentylamino, R³ is 4-chlorophenyl, and R⁴ is isopropyl; or R¹R²N is (trans-4-hydroxycyclohexyl)amino, R³ is 4-chlorophenyl, and R⁴ is isopropyl; or R¹R²N is (trans-4-aminocyclohexyl)amino, R³ is 4-chlorophenyl, and R⁴ is isopropyl; or R¹R²N is (cis/trans-4-hydroxycyclohexyl)amino, R³ is 4-chlorophenyl, and R⁴ is isopropyl; or R¹R²N is (4-methylcyclohexyl)amino, R³ is 4-chlorophenyl, and R⁴ is isopropyl; or R¹R²N is (2-isopropyl-5-methylcyclohexyl)amino, R³ is 4-chlorophenyl, and R⁴ is isopropyl; or R¹R²N is (trans-2-hydroxycyclohexyl)amino, R³ is 4-chlorophenyl, and R⁴ is isopropyl; or R¹R²N is cyclopentylamino, R³ is 4-chlorophenyl, and R⁴ is tert-butyl; or R¹R²N is (trans-4-hydroxycyclohexyl)amino, R³ is 4-chlorophenyl, and R⁴ is tert-butyl; or R¹R²N is cyclopentylamino, R³ is 4-chlorophenyl, and R⁴ is CF³, or R¹R²N is (trans-4-hydroxycyclohexyl)amino, R³ is 4-chlorophenyl, and R⁴ is phenyl; or R¹R²N is cyclobutylamino, R³ is 4 chlorophenyl, and R⁴ is isopropyl; or R¹R²N is cyclononylamino, R³ is 4-chlorophenyl, and R⁴ is isopropyl; or a stereoisomeric form of a compound of formula I, or a mixture of stereoisomeric forms of compounds of formula I in all ratios, or a physiologically tolerable salt of a compound of formula I, or a physiologically tolerable salt of a stereoisomeric form of a compound of formula I.
 19. A compound of claim 18, wherein in the formula I R¹R²N is (trans-4-hydroxycyclohexyl)amino, R³ is 4-methylphenyl, and R⁴ is isopropyl; or R¹R²N is (trans-4-hydroxycyclohexyl)amino, R³ is 3,5-dichlorophenyl, and R⁴ is isopropyl; or R¹R²N is (4-hydroxycyclohexyl)amino, R³ is 4-cyanophenyl, and R⁴ is isopropyl; or R¹R²N is (trans-4-hydroxycyclohexyl)amino, R³ is 4-chlorophenyl, and R⁴ is isopropyl; or R¹R²N is (cis/trans-4-hydroxycyclohexyl)amino, R³ is 4-chlorophenyl, and R⁴ is isopropyl; or R¹R²N is (trans-2-hydroxycyclohexyl)amino, R³ is 4-chlorophenyl, and R⁴ is isopropyl; or R¹R²N is (trans-4-hydroxycyclohexyl)amino, R³ is 4-chlorophenyl, and R⁴ is tert-butyl; or R¹R²N is (trans-4-hydroxycyclohexyl)amino, R³ is 4-chlorophenyl, and R⁴ is phenyl.
 20. A compound of the formula I,

in which R¹ is (C₃-C₇)-cloalkyl, which can be substituted by one or two identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino; R² is hydrogen; R³ is phenyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, phenyl, CF₃, NO₂, OH, —O—(C₁-C₄)alkyl, —O—(C₂-C₄)-alkyl-O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₁-C₂)-alkylenedioxy, NH₂, —NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)₂, —NH—CHO, —NH—CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CN, —CO—NH₂, —CO—NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CO—N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)₂, —CO—OH, —CO—O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CHO and —CO—(C₁-C₄)alkyl; and R⁴ is (C₂-C₅)alkyl, trifluoromethyl or phenyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, phenyl, CF₃, NO₂, OH, —O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₁-C₂)-alkylenedioxy, NH₂, —NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, N((C₂-C₄)-alkyl)₂, —NH—CHO, —NH—CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CN, —CO—NH₂, —CO—NH₂, —CO—NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CO—N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)₂, —CO—OH, —CO—O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CHO and —CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl; or a stereoisomeric form of a compound of formula I, or a mixture of stereoisomeric forms of compounds of formula I in all ratios, or a physiologically tolerable salt of a compound of formula I, or a physiologically tolerable salt of a stereoisomeric form of a compound of formula I.
 21. A process for the preparation of at least one compound of claim 1, which comprises activating a 4-hydroxypyrimidine of the formula IV and then reacting it with an amine of a formula VI to produce a compound of formula I,

and optionally converting a compound of formula I into a pharmaceutically acceptable salt.
 22. A process for the preparation of at least one compound of claim 5, which comprises-activating a 4-hydroxypyrimidine of the formula IV and then reacting it with an amine of a formula VI;

and optionally converting the resulting product into a pharmaceutically acceptable salt.
 23. A pharmaceutical composition, comprising one or more compounds of claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
 24. A pharmaceutical composition, comprising one or more compounds of claim 5 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
 25. A method of treating angina pectoris, comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of at least one compound of claim
 1. 26. A method of treating angina pectoris, comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of at least one compound of claim
 5. 27. A method of treating angina pectoris, comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of at least one compound of formula I,

in which R¹ is (C₁-C₈)-alkyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl—S(O)_(m)—, R⁵R⁶N and aryl; (C₃-C₉)-cycloalkyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino; or a radical of a 5-membered to 7-membered saturated heterocyclic ring with one or two identical or different hetero ring members chosen from O, NR⁷ and S(O)_(m) and that can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl and aryl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl; and R² is hydrogen, (C₁-C₈)-alkyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl—S(O)_(m)—, R⁵R⁶N and aryl; (C₃-C₉)-cloalkyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino; or the radical of a 5-membered to 7-membered saturated heterocyclic ring with one or two identical or different hetero ring members chosen from O, NR⁷ and S(O)_(m) and, that can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl and aryl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-; or R¹R²N is a radical, bonded via a ring nitrogen atom, of a 5-membered to 7-membered saturated heterocyclic ring optionally with, in addition to the nitrogen atom carrying the radicals R¹ and R², a further hetero ring member chosen from O, NR⁷ and S(O)_(m) and that can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, R⁸R⁹N, hydroxycarbonyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxycarbonyl and R⁸R⁹N—CO—; R³ is phenyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, phenyl, CF₃, NO₂, OH, —O—(C₁-C₄)alkyl, —O—(C₂-C₄)-alkyl-O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₁-C₂)-alkylenedioxy, NH₂, —NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)₂, —NH—CHO, —NH—CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CN, —CO—NH₂, —CO—NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CO—N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)₂, —CO—OH, —CO—O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CHO and —CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl; R⁴ is (C₂-C₅)-alkyl, trifluoromethyl or phenyl, which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, phenyl, CF₃, NO₂, OH, —O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —O—(C₂-C₄)-alkyl—O—(C₁-C₄)alkyl, (C₁-C₂)-alkylenedioxy, NH₂, —NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, N((C₁-C₄)alkyl)₂, —NH—CHO, —NH—CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CN, —CO—NH₂, —CO—NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CO—N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)₂, —CO—OH, —CO—O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CHO and —CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl; R⁵ and R⁶ are identical or different radicals chosen from hydrogen and (C₁-C₄)-alkyl; or the group R⁵R⁶N is a radical, bonded via a ring nitrogen atom, of a 5-membered to 7-membered saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic ring optionally with, in addition to the nitrogen atom carrying the radicals R⁵ and R⁶, a further hetero ring member chosen from an oxygen atom, a group S(O)_(m) and a nitrogen atom and that can carry on ring carbon atoms one or more identical or different substituents chosen from (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxyl and amino and that can carry on a ring nitrogen atom a radical R⁷; R⁷ is hydrogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, aryl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-, hydroxy-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, hydroxycarbonyl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-, ((C₁-C₄)-alkoxycarbonyl)-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, R⁸R⁹N—CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-, R¹⁰—SO₂— or aryl; where R⁷, if this group is present on a piperazino radical representing R¹R²N, cannot be carbocyclic aryl or carbocyclic aryl (C¹—C⁴)-alkyl; R⁸ and R⁹ are identical or different radicals chosen from hydrogen and (C₁-C₄)-alkyl; R¹⁰ is (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, aryl or R⁸R⁹N; aryl is phenyl, naphthyl or heteroaryl, all of which can be substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, phenyl, CF₃, NO₂, OH, —O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, O—(C₂-C₄)-alkyl-O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₁-C₂)-alkylenedioxy, NH₂, —NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)₂, —NH—CHO, —NH—CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CN, CO—NH₂, —CO—NH—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CO—N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)-₂, —CO—OH, —CO—O—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, —CHO and —CO—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl; heteroaryl is the radical of a monocyclic 5-membered or 6-membered aromatic heterocycle or of a bicyclic 8-membered to 10-membered aromatic heterocycle, each of which with one or two identical or different ring heteroatoms chosen from N, O and S; m is 0, 1 or 2; or a stereoisomeric form of a compound of formula I, or a mixture of stereoisomeric forms of compounds of formula I in all ratios, or a physiologically tolerable salt of a compound of formula I, or a physiologically tolerable salt of a stereoisomeric form of a compound of formula I. 